1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to scheduling management, and, more particularly, to a system and method for optimizing the scheduling of calendar meeting events.
2. Description of Related Art
Scheduling events for which a plurality of personnel are required to attend is quite difficult in today's fast paced work environment. Due to the increasing pace of information transfer and conduct of business, scheduling an acceptable time and location for a plurality of people to conduct a meeting typically involves accounting for many different variables that may affect a person's ability to travel and meet at the specified location at the specified meeting time. These variables include travel schedules, working periods, convenience of meeting locations and, of course, other commitments. As a result, calendar meetings are often rescheduled at least once, if not several times, before the meeting is conducted.
Scheduling planning routines and methods are known in the art. Computer programs for scheduling meetings are available that allow users to schedule meetings based on electronic calendars stored for office employees. The program maintains a schedule for each individual, and provides schedule information to users who are planning meetings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,813 discloses an electronic scheduler that allows a caller using a telephone to remotely make appointments. The electronic scheduler can automatically select an appointment time for the caller to meet with a single individual, such as a doctor. However, the scheduler cannot select a common meeting time for the caller and a plurality of other attendees. This drawback limits the usefulness of the scheduler in an office environment. Likewise, no provision is made for a plurality of persons requesting a meeting to schedule that meeting based on selected variables such as time, length, or location which are then optimized to produce the most convenient meeting for all persons requesting the meeting.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method of scheduling events among a plurality of persons by optimizing a selected variable or variables to establish a convenient time for the occurrence of an event. Further, a need exists for a method of dynamically scheduling an event among a plurality of persons based on at least one optimized variable. The terms event, meeting, and calendar meeting are interrupted as having similar meanings for the purposes of the invention herein.